Here’s me admitting that, until recently, I had no idea that sunglasses had an actual purpose of protecting eyes from UVA/UVB rays.

I’d seen the little plastic labels on the lenses that were all informative and sciency, but that they actually meant something for eye safety went over my head. In my spare time, I write for a local dermatologist, and through writing for her, I’ve learned a lot about the skin and eye health. Am I the last person to learn that eyeballs can get cancer? Me, who knows about the importance of applying sunscreen to protect our skin from getting cancer, is learning about protecting our eyes from the sun’s rays. Finally.

The best way to protect our eyes from UVA and UVB rays when we’re outside is to wear protective eyewear. Unfortunately, just any old sunglasses you find on the street or in a drugstore won’t properly protect your eyes from UVA/UVB rays. There are specific indicators that are labels on proper protective sunglasses.

When purchasing sunglasses, you should look for an American National Standards Institute, or ANSI, sticker or logo on the lens, tag or box. The ANSI Z80.3-2001 standard, usually labeled as “UV 380,” covers all UVA and UVB ray protective requirements.

If you’re unsure of your current pair of sunglasses’ protective qualities, take them to your optometrist to have the lenses tested.

If you have little kiddies, make sure to get them in the habit of wearing sunglasses when they’re babies with specially fitted frames. Getting them used to wearing sunglasses will help them not only protect their sensitive eyes, but it will also teach them when and where to wear sunglasses. It’s a misnomer that sunglasses and sunscreen are only important to wear during sunny days. According to The Vision Council,

Sunglasses should always be worn outside – no matter your location, season, or time of day. Overcast skies still allow 31 percent of solar radiation to reach the Earth’s surface.

So, basically what I’m saying is that I totally missed out on getting my girls to be even cuter by making them wear sunglasses. Also, I’m totally worried that they’re going to have cancer of the eyeball because I didn’t know any better when they were babies.

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post published in partnership with The Vision Council. All information not quoted by The Vision Council is my opinion and not necessarily that The Vision Council or The Motherhood.